New guinea impatiens plant named &#39;balcebsafo&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea impatiens plant named Balcebsafo, characterized by its large light salmon flowers, dark green foliage, compact upright and mounded habit and excellent basal branching.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention comprises a new and distinct New Guinea impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Balcebsafo.

[0002] The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlled breeding program during 1997 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop cultivars with numerous large flowers, compact to moderate growth habit and excellent basal branching.

[0003] The female (seed) parent of Balcebsafo was the proprietary Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated 1199, characterized by its compact habit, lavender flowers and dark green foliage. The male (pollen) parent of Balcebsafo was the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar ‘Toga’ characterized by its compact habit, lavender flowers and dark green foliage. Balcebsafo was discovered and selected in December 1997 by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

[0006] (a) exhibits large round light salmon flowers,

[0007] (b) forms dark green foliage,

[0008] (c) exhibits a good basal branching character and

[0009] (d) exhibits a medium upright mounded growth habit.

[0010] The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to Celebration Deep Coral (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,214). In side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from Celebration Deep Coral by the following characteristics: it is found that the new cultivar is more compact, has longer internodes, longer petioles and lighter flower color. The new cultivar can also be compared to Celebrette Peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,108). In side by side comparisons it is found that the new cultivar is more compact, has shorter peduncles, larger, pinker flowers, longer internodes and different foliage coloration. A detailed comparison can be found in Table A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

[0011] The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants were grown in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The Balcebsafo cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

[0013] The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined on Aug. 30, 2000 between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. under natural daylight conditions. The plants were produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and were grown in 10 cm pots under greenhouse conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice while utilizing a soilless growth medium and maintaining temperatures of approximately 72° F. during the day and approximately 65° F. during the night.

[0014] Classification:

[0015]Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Balcebsafo.

[0016] Parentage: Proprietary seedling 1199 times. Toga

[0017] Propagation:

[0018]Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

[0019]Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7-14 days with the shorter times generally being experienced in the summer and the longer times in the winter.

[0020]Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 days.

[0021]Rooting habit.—Fibrous, branching.

[0022] Plant Description:

[0023]Habit of growth.—Moderately vigorous. A mature plant, 8 to 10 weeks after planting of a rooted cutting, measures approximately 18.4 cm in height and approximately 33.4 cm in width.

[0024]Form.—Upright and mounded.

[0025]Foliage.—Leaves are simple, lanceolate, acuminate apex, attenuate base, serrate and ciliate margin. Texture: smooth. Size of mature foliage: approximately 8.2 cm in length, approximately 3.1 cm in width. Color of mature foliage: upper surface is 139A with venation of light green; lower surface is 191A with venation of 184B. Petiole: Length: approximately 1.2 cm. Color: 184C.

[0026]Stem.—Color: 185A. Internode length: approximately 6.9 cm.

[0027] Flower Description:

[0028]Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.

[0029]Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment. Flowering is continuous from spring until fall in the garden.

[0030]Flower longevity.—Approximately seven days.

[0031]Flowers borne.—Above foliage arising from leaf axils.

[0032]Flower color.—Upper surface of petals is 48B at edges gradually fading through 48C, 48D and 39D to bases of 51 B ; lower surface is between 40A and 50C with midvein of 51 B.

[0033]Quantity of flowers.—Approximately 2 flowers and 5 buds per stem.

[0034]Petals.—Number: Five. Shape: Obovate, superior petal has broad base, other four petals have narrow base Approximate size: Superior petal width, 4.1 cm; superior petal length, 2.8 cm. Lateral petal width, 2.7 cm; lateral petal length, 2.8 cm; lower petals width, 3.1 cm, lower petal length, 3.4 cm.

[0035]Flower diameter.—Approximately 6.4 cm.

[0036]Spur.—Origin: from inferior sepal; Length: Approximately 5.6 cm; Color: 53A.

[0037]Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 4.2 cm; Color: 53A.

[0038]Flower buds.—Length: approximately 2 cm, width: approximately 1.2 cm when first showing color.

[0039]Reproductive organs.—Androecium: five stamens, anthers are fused together forming one organ that surrounds the pistil. Generally, the anthers shed pollen prior to the stigma becoming receptive, pollen color is 19B. Gynoecium: the stigma color is 154D the style color is 144A and the ovary color is 144A. TABLE A CELE- BRA- CHAR- TION ACTER- CELEBRETTE DEEP ISTIC BALCEBSAFO PEACH CORAL PLANT HEIGHT 18.4 CM 21 CM 27.1 CM STEM COLOR 185A 53B 187D BRANCH 16.2 CM 18.3 CM 23.3 CM LENGTH INTERNODE 6.9 CM 2.6 CM 5.8 CM LENGTH MATURE LEAF 8.2 CM × 9 CM × 3.4 CM 8.4 CM × LENGTH 3.1 CM X3.5 CM X WIDTH MATURE LEAF 139A WITH 136A WITH 187A COLOR-UPPER VENATION VENATION WITH SURFACE OF LIGHT OF 63A MIDVEIN GREEN OF 45B MATURE LEAF 191A WITH 183C WITH 187C COLOR-LOWER VENATION VENATION SURFACES OF 184B of 185B PETIOLE 1.2 CM 1.5 CM .9 CM LENGTH FULLY 48B SUPERIOR PETAL: 50A OPENED GRADUALLY 41A AT EDGE; PETAL FADING 63B AT BASE. COLOR-UPPER THROUGH OTHER PETALS: SURFACE 48C, 48D AND 41A AT EDGE, 39D TO BASE FADING THRIOUGH OF 51B 63D TO 63A AT BASE PEDUNCLE 4.2 CM 5.4 CM 4.9 CM LENGTH PEDUNCLE 53A 144D 53D COLOR FLOWER 6.4 CM 5.5 CM 6.8 CM DIAMETER SPUR COLOR 53A 53C 53C SPUR LENGTH 5.6 CM 4.3 CM 5.2 CM POLLEN 19B 11C 19B COLOR 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens named Balcebsafo substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a) exhibits attractive, large round light salmon flowers, (b) forms dark green foliage, (c) exhibits a good basal branching character and (d) (d)exhibits a medium upright mounded growth habit. 